Veritas Volume Manager

VM daemons

Maintains system configuration in the kernel & disk (private region). If the daemon is stop
not disable any configuration state loaded into the kernel, it only affects the ability to make
configuration changes until vxconfigd is restarted.
vxconfigd
It can be in three states:
Enable = Normal mode
Disable = Most operations cannot be be used
Booted = Normal startup while using boot disk group
vxrelocd Monitors for failure events and relocates failed subdisks
Used to backup configuration chnages, the files created can be used with vxmake to restor
vxconfigbackupd
groups.
vxnotify Display veritas volume manager events used with the vxconfigd daemon
used to administer a cache object that is assoicated with volumes that have one or more sp
vxcached optimized snapshots. When the usage of a cached volume reaches the high watermark vxc
autom,atically grows the cache volume if required and configured
Monitors VxVM for disks being attached and reattaches a detached site if the disks belong
sire become accessible, the daemon monitors vxnotify command and waits for a failed dis
vxattachd
disk is attached vxattachd attempts to online the disk, if successful it then starts recovery u
vxrecover
vxdbd Handles comunication to and from the storage foundation product, it uses port 3233
Kernel Info
The kernel can be in three states:

Kernel States Enabled - both private and public regions are accessible
Disabled - no private or public regions are accessible
Detached - only private regions are accessible

VM utilities

vxconfigd -k -m enable -x <debug option>

-x log log to /var/vxvm/vxconfigd.log

VxVM debug -x logfile = <name> log to filename
-x syslog log to syslog
-x timestamp date and timestamp every entry
-x tracefile=name log all possible tracing to file
 The vxiod utility starts, stops, or reports on VERITAS Volume Manager (VxVM) I/O daemo
daemon provides a process context for performing I/O in VxVM.Manage extended disk i/o &
dirty regions, logging
vxiod
vxiod set <number> = set number of runnning viod daemon

Note: when run on its own it displays # of vxiod daemons that are running.
The vxdctl utility manages aspects of the state of the volume configuration daemon vxconfig
manages aspects of configuration for bootstrapping the rootdg disk group.

mode = what mode the vxconfigd is running in

enable = enable the vxconfigd daemon (reread the db)
disable = disable the vxconfigd daemon
vxdctl [option] stop = kill the vxconfigd daemon (Use 'vxconfigd -k -m enable' to start again)
license [init] = print out license info or reread licenses
support = display version and components
list = display entries in /etc/vx/volboot
init [dmp] = recreate /etc/vx/volboot

Note: when in disabled or stopped mode no VX commands will be able to run

vxinstall Install volume manger (use /etc/vx/disk to exclude any disks or controllers)
vxdbdctl used to stop/start the vxdbd daemon, you can also use status to obtain the status of the daemo

Disk Regions

Disk Regions
This is were veritas holds the meta data regarding the disk. A copy of the configuration da
copied to each private region within the disk group. Veritas will try and keep 5 copies of th
configuration database.
Private
See below for where the slice is kept

Once the private region is created it cannot be changed, thus if it fills up then you have to r
disk with a new private region length, see disks -> initialize disk
This is the area that will store the users data.
Public
See below for where the slice is kept
Disk Layouts
private and public region slices are on separate partitions, this type of
disk is not suitable for moving between different O/S's but are suitable
Sliced Disk layout for boot partitions format=sliced

Can be converted to CDS

CDS (Cross-
private and public regions are one slice , this type is suitable for moving
platform Data format=cdsdisk
between different O/S's but not suitable for boot partitions.
Sharing)
Private and public are the same partition but continuous
Simple format=simple
Can be converted to CDS
None No partitioning n/a

VxVM Configuration Database

Public/Private partitions vxdisk list <disk> |egrep -i '^public|^private'

# the size of the configuration db
DB size
vxdg list <group> | grep permlen
DB location vxdisk list <disk> | grep -i config - db location

File Locations

vxinstall has not be run /etc/vx/reconfig.d/state.d/install-db

Host ID's
backup config files
(vxconfigbackupd)
delete or deported disk group
config files
All commands logs
Licenses
Imported disk groups info
vxconfigd log file
/etc/vx/volboot
/etc/vx/cbr/bk
Note: you must have at least run vxconfigbackup once, otherwise the directory
exist or you have specified another location.
/etc/vx/dgcfg/deport
/var/adm/vx/cmdlog
/var/adm/vx/veacmdlog
/etc/vx/licenses/lic
/var/vxvm/tempdb
Note: to clear the tempdb file:
vxconfigd -k -x cleartempdir - clear the /var/vxvm/tempdb
/var/adm/vx/vxconfigd.log

Backup & Restore

/usr/lib/vxvm/bin/vxconfigbackup -l /var/vxvm/backups
Backup
-l = location where to store backup
 vxconfigrestore -p <group>

# either one of the below after the precommit

vxconfigrestore -d <group>
Restore vxconfigrestore -c <group>
(precommit/commit)
Note:
-p = when you want to check that the restore is correct (use vxprint to check)
-d = abort the precommit
-c = commit the precommit

Disks

## increase the private region size default 1024

vxdisksetup -i c2t0d0 privlen= 2048

Initialize disk ## change the default of a disk

vxdisksetup -i <device> format=sliced - initialized a disk as a sliced disk

Note: format can be either sliced, simple, cdsdisk or none (see above - Disk Regions)
Uninitialize disk vxdiskunsetup -C c2t0d0
vxdisk -g <group> list <disk>
Disk Information
vxdisk -s list
Resize a LUN vxdisk -g <group> resize <disk> length=8G
Add a disk slice to
vxdctl add disk <device> type=simple
volboot
Add a disk slice vxdisk –f <device> type=simple
vxdiskadd c1t0d0 or c1 (all disk on controller)
Add a disk
vxdisksetup -i <device>
Remove a disk totally
vxdisk rm <device>
from VM
Remove a disk from a
vxdg -g <group> rmdisk <diskname>
volume
Remove a disk slice
vxdctl rm disk <device>
from VM
Clear any host ID
vxdisk clearimport <disk name>
flags
Renaming a disk vxedit -g <disk> rename <old disk name> <new disk name>
Move disk to different vxdg move <source dg> <target dg> <disk>
disk group
 Note: you must always have one disk in a disk group, you cannot move a disk that is use
volume
vxdisk offline <dev name>
Offline a disk
Note: disk must not be in a disk group
vxdisk online <dev name>
Online a disk
Note: disk must have a private region otherwise you need to initialise the disk
Hot spare vxedit –g <group> set spare=on <disk>
NoHotUse vxedit –g <group> set nohotuse=on <disk>
Turn off failing flag vxedit -g <group> set failing=off <disk>
Encapsulate a disk vxdisk define c0t0d0s0 type=nopriv
vxreattach [-br | -c <device>]

Reattach disk (SAN) -b = Background process

-r = Recover volumes
-c = Checks to see if reattach is possible
Discover new disks vxdisk scandisks [new | fabric ]
Disk Comment vxedit -g <group> set comment="......." <disk>
## Here i am fixing a "online altused" issue but search the web for different issues as the
number of ways to the same thing, just remember the vxprivutil command

## obtain the disks private region tag 15

prtvtoc /dev/rdsk/c2t0d0s2

## dd the content sto a file

Private region dd if=/dev/rdsk/c2t0d0s3 of=/tmp/c2t0d0s3_privreg
problem
## run the below script
fix_script

## if now errors reported above and in the file, then dd back to disk
dd if=/tmp/c2t0d0s3_privreg.good of=/dev/rdsk/c2t0d0s3

## repeat for any other bad disks

Disk Group

vxdg init group <disk>=<device>

Create a disk group
vxdg init <group> <disk>=<device> cds=off - initialize a non-cds disk group
Remove a group vxdg destroy <group>
Add a disk to a group vxdg –g <group> adddisk <disk>=<device>
Remove a disk from a group
Replace failed disk
Import a group
Import group (clear any flags)
Deport a group
List no hot use on disk
List spare space on disk
Display free space
Backup disk group (vxvm
4.0)
Restore disk group (vxvm
4.0)
Diskgroup Version
Upgrade disk version
Boot/Default DG
Volume
Adding mirror to root
Create a simple volume
vxdg –g <group> rmdisk <disk>
vxdg -k -g <group> adddisk <disk>=<device>
-k = forces vxvm to take media name of the failed disk & assign it to the new dis
vxdg import <group>
vxdg -n <new-group-name> import <old-group-name>
vxdg -C import <group>
vxdg import -C <group>
-C - clears any exist host flags
vxdg deport <group>
vxdg -n <new-group-name> deport <old_group_name>
vxdg –g <group> nohotuse
vxdg –g <group> spare
vxdg –g <group> free
vxconfigbackup
vxconfigrestore [-p|-d|-c]
vxdg list <group> | grep -i version
vxdg upgrade <group> - upgrade to current version
vxdg -T 50 upgrade <group> - upgrade to version 50
vxdg -T 50 init <group> <disk>=<device> - creater new group @ version 50
vxdg bootdg
vxdg defaultdg
vxdctl defaultdg <group> - set defaultdg
/etc/vx/bin/vxrootmir <alternate> create rootvol, swap vol,
vxassist make <volume> <size> <disk>
vxassist -g <group> make <vol> <size> !ctrl:c2 - don't use controller 2
vxassist make <volume> <size> <disk> layout=[stripe-mirror|concat-mirro
stripe]
stripe-mirror = layered volume
concat-mirror = layered volume
mirror-concat = non-layered volume
mirror-stripe = non-layered volume

Mirror a simple volume
Create a stripped volume
Create mirrored volume with log
Create a raid volume
Create a raw volume
Remove a volume
Initializing a volume
Online Relayout
Remove a volume off a particular
disk
Rename a volume
Starting a volume
Start a disabled volume
Disable a volume
vxassist mirror <volume> <disk>
vxassist -g <group> remove mirror <vol> !disk01 - remove the disk01 m
vxassist make <volume> <size> layout=stripe
vxassist -g <group> -o ordered make <vol> <size> layout=stripe ncol=3 <d
vxassist make <volume> <size> layout=mirror, log nmirror=# nlog=#
Note: for information about logging see logging section below
vxassist make <volume> <size> layout=raid5
vxassist -U <usage_type> make <volume> <size> alloc='<disk>'
types:
fsgen - filesystems
gen - raw volumes
raid - supports raid5
root - suuports root filesystems for booting
swap - performs no recovery on startup
relayout - used temporary for disk relayout operations
vxedit –rf rm <volume>
vxassist -g <group> remove volume <vol>
Note: you must disable the volume first
vxvol init state <volume> [plex]state=clean,enable,active
vxassist -g <group> relayout <vol> layout=stripe ncol=2
vxassist -g <group> relayout <vol> layout=stripe ncol=+1
vxassist -g <group> relayout <vol> layout=stripe ncol=-1
vxassist -g <group> relayout <vol> layout=stripe stripe=32k ncol=5
vxassist -g <group> relayout <vol> layout=raid5 stripeunit=32k ncol3
vxassist -g <group> convert <vol> layout=stripe-mirror
# Display the relayout operation
vxrelayout -g <group> [status|reverse|start] <vol>
vxtask list
## either make sure there is a another disk in the group, you can even speci
vxassist -g <group> move <vol> \!<disk> [<disk>]
vxedit -g <group> rename <old_vol_name> <new_vol_name>
vxvol start <volume>
vxrecover –sb <volume>
-s = start volume after recovery
-b = background the recovery task
vxvol -g <group> stop <volume>
Evacuate a volume
Maintenance mode
Not clean
No kernel state
Extending a volume size
Shrinking a volume size
add a DRL log to a volume
remove a DRL log from a volume
Extending log size
Detering volume size
Recover a volume
Change volumes permissions
vxevac -g <group> <from-disk> <to-disk>
vxvol maint <volume>
vxmend mirror clean <plex>
vxplex att <vol_name> <plex>
vxresize <volume> <new length>
vxresize -g <group> <volume> +100m - increase the volume by 100Mb
vxresize <volume> <new length>
vxresize -g <group> <volume> -100m - decrease the volume by 100Mb
vxassist addlog <volume>
vxassist remove log <volume>
vxvol set loglen = 2m <volume/log>
vxassit -g <group> maxsize layout=mirror - the maximum size you can cre
vxassist -g <group> maxgrow <volume> - the maximum size the volume
Vxmend fix clean <plex>
vxedit -g <group> set owner=<user> group=<group> mode=<perms> <vol
# to display the permissions
ls -l /dev/vx/rdsk/<group>

Plexs

Creating a plex vxmake plex <plex> sd =<sub disk name>

vxplex –o rm dis <plex>
Remove a plex vxplex -g <group> dis <plex>
vxedit -g <group> -rf rm <plex>
Moving a plex vxplex mv <original plex> <new plex>
Copying a plex vxplex cp <volume> <new plex>
Attaching a plex vxplex att <volume> <plex>
Detaching a plex vxplex det <plex>
Offlining a plex vxmend off vol01-02

Sub-disks

Creating sub-disk vxmake sd <sub-disk> <disk>, offset, len

Removing sub-disk vxedit rm <sub-disk>
Moving sub-disk vxsd mv <old sub-disk> <new sub-disk>
vxmake plex <plex> sd=<sub-disk>, …
Associating with a plex
i.e vxmake plex home-1 sd= disk02-01, disk02-00, disk02-02
Dissociating vxsd dis <sub-disk>
Splitting vxsd –s<size> split sd<new sub><newsub2>
Joining vxsd join <sub-disk1><subdisk2><new subdisk>
## either make sure there is a another disk in the group, you can even specify it
relocating a sub disk
vxassist -g <group> move <vol> \!<disk> [<disk>]
relocating a whole disk vxprint -g rootdg -se 'sd_orig_dmname="disk02"'
sub disks vxunreloc -g rootdg disk02

Volume Manager Information

Disks
Display all the physical vxdisk list
disks vxdisk -o alldgs list
Display detailed disk info vxdisk list <disk>
Check for disk failures vxstat –g <group>–ff –d
Disk Group
Display group properties vxdg list
Display detailed group info vxdg list <group>
vxinfo -p -g <group>
Volume
Display volume info vxprint –Aht <vol>
Display volume properties vxprint –vl
Display unstartable volume vxinfo -g <group> <vol>
Check for volume failures vxstat –g <group>–ff -v
Plex
Display plex properties vxprint –vp
Check for plex failures vxstat –g <group>–ff -p
Sub-Disks
Display sub-disk properties vxprint –st
Veritas Tasks
vxtask list
vxtask monitor - continuously monitor

Display tasks States:

r = running
p = pause
a = aborting
Statistics and Tracing
 vxstat -g <group> -r –d <disks> - reset all stats on disk
vxstat -g <group> -d - display stats
Iostats
vxstat -g <group> -i 1 -d <vol> - display stats every 1 sec intervals for volume
vxstat -g <group> -i 10 -c 5 -d - display 5 sets @ 10 secs intervals
vxtrace -d <filename> -o dev,disk <vol>
Tracing
vxtrace -f <filename> -o dev,disk <vol> | more

Licensing

vxlicinst - versions greater than 3.5

Add
vxlicense -c - versions below 3.5
vxlicrep - versions greater than 3.5
View
vxlicense -p - versions below 3.5
/etc/vx/licenses/lic - versions greater than 3.5
Paths
/etc/vx/elm - versions below 3.5
Reload new license vxdctl license init

VEA

Start/Stop /etc/init.d/isisd [start|stop|restart]

vxsvcctrl status
vxsvc [-m|-k|-v]
Status
-m = status
-k = kill
-v = version
/opt/VRTSob/bin/vxsvc
Daemons
/opt/VRTSob/bin/vxsvcctrl
/opt/VRTSob/bin/vea
Start VEA GUI
You must have X-windows running

Logging

Logging help in recovery and can speed it up dramatically, the main form of logging in veritas is
the DRL (dirty region log) which performs the following

 log keeps track of changed regions

 if system fails only the changed regions of the volume are recovered

vxassist -g <group> addlog <vol> logtype=drl

Add
vxassist -g <group> addlog <vol> - used for raid logs (no type)
Remove vxassist -g <group> remove log <vol> [nlog=n] <vol>

Volume Read Policy

Policies can be used if you have slower disks within a volume and you wish to use the faster
disks.

Round Robin vxvol -g <group> rdpol round <vol>

Preffered Plex vxvol -g <group> rdpol prefer <vol> <plex>
Selected Plex vxvol -g <group> rdpol select <vol>

Storage Expert (vxse)

Veritas have created some scripots that can check the integrity of the vxvm setup i.e mirrored
volumes, spares, etc. The scripts are based on rules and there are a number of differents rules
veritas has set, look in the rules directory to see all of them.

Display Description vxse_raid5log1 info

Check rules vxse_raid5log1 -g <group> check
List spare rules vxse_spares list
vxse_spares run
Run spare run
Note: you need to run "/etc/init.d/isisd start" to start the necessary
daemons first
VXSE Paths
Rules /opt/VRTS/vxse/vxvm
Default Parameters /etc/default/vxse